Registration Policies

Transient Course Work

Transient status refers to a student who wishes to enroll at another college or university for limited, specific coursework, for the purpose of transferring those courses back to the institution where they are earning a degree.

Students from other institutions attending BW: The University may admit a student who has a minimum 2.0 GPA and is in good standing at another institution for specific course work at Baldwin Wallace. This course work may apply toward a degree at the student’s home institution, based upon regulations at that institution. A transient student application form is available from the Office of Admission (440/826-2222) and must be submitted for each semester of enrollment.

BW students attending other institutions: Baldwin Wallace University students may be approved to attend another fully accredited institution during an academic term and transfer credits to their degree programs at the University. A Transient Student Permit Form must be obtained from the Office of Registration and Records (440/826-2126). Students must be in good standing at the University. Course selections must be approved by both the academic department chairperson in whose department the course work will apply and the Registrar of the University. Transient permission is granted semester by semester and may not extend beyond two consecutive semesters.

Students completing courses at Cuyahoga Community College, Lakeland Community College and Lorain County Community College which are listed in the respective Transfer Guides do not need to obtain departmental approval.

Students are required to complete 32 semester hours of their required 124 hours of course work, or one-fourth of their, academic program, in residence at Baldwin Wallace. Special requests for transient status in the last 32 semester hours must be approved by the Registrar. Transient course work transferred to the University is subject to all policies and provisions governing transfer course work stated herein. A transient student may not enroll in more credits at another institution than normally could be completed at Baldwin Wallace University in a comparable time period.

Returning Students

Former Baldwin Wallace students seeking readmission after an absence should contact the Office of Registration and Records (440-826-2126). Students with senior status (having earned 91 credits or more toward their degree) after an absence of more than three years will be subject to the institutional and departmental curricular requirements in effect at the time of readmission. Students with junior, sophomore or freshman status (having earned 90 credits or less toward their degree) after an absence of more than one year will be subject to the institutional and departmental curricular requirements in effect at the time of readmission. One year is defined as the completion of two consecutive semesters and one summer session. Students who have attended other institutions during the withdrawal period from the University must follow the admission procedures for transfer students stated herein. Students who left BW with a GPA less than 2.00 must apply as a returning student to the Office of Registration and Records.

Military Call to Active Duty Policy

Baldwin Wallace University will be as supportive and accommodating as possible for those students who must withdraw in a given semester because they have been called to active military duty. Exceptions to this policy are determined by the Dean of Student’s Office.

Any student who is called to active military duty should present his/her active duty orders to the Office of the Dean of Students. Depending on the activation date and the judgment of the individual faculty, the student has several options regarding the completion of coursework.

1. A student may request a withdrawal. The withdrawal will be retroactive to the beginning of the term. A student may do a complete withdrawal resulting in all tuition charges removed. A student may do a partial withdrawal, receiving “W” grades in some courses. Full-time students will not receive a refund if the “W” grades result in part-time status.
2. A student may request an “Incomplete” to be decided by the individual instructors. There will not be any tuition adjustment for courses assigned “I” grades and the student will have six weeks into the next term of enrollment to complete the “I” grade.
3. A student may request final grades at the discretion of individual faculty members. Faculty and students would also have the option of turning the grade into satisfactory/unsatisfactory if departure occurs prior to final exams. Tuition is not adjusted.

In all of the above cases, all room charges will be prorated. Any remaining Jacket Express balance will be credited to the student’s account. The University would not charge a student carrying charges on back balances while he/she is in the military.

Registration

Day Division: Students regularly enrolled in the Day Division will register on-line through Web Express for classes at times announced by the Registrar. Special registration days are scheduled for new students entering BW for the first time.

Class schedules and graduation plans must be prepared by students with the assistance of their academic advisors to whom they have been assigned.

Adult and Continuing Education Program/Graduate Division: Students regularly enrolled in the Adult and Continuing Education Program and Graduate programs, including students entering BW for the first time, may register in person or by the Web at times specified by the Registrar. Adult and Continuing Education and Graduate students are not required to prepare their schedules with the assistance of an academic advisor. However, advising is available upon request and is highly encouraged.

All Divisions: While Baldwin Wallace makes every effort to assist students in the planning of their programs of study, it is ultimately each student’s personal responsibility to plan and complete all University degree requirements.

Classes may be canceled at the discretion of the University. In such instances, the students affected will be notified, and assistance in planning alternative schedules will be made available. www.bw.edu/resources/registration

Full-time and Half-time Status

¹ 18.5 credits and greater is considered overload for Fall or Spring term (for Undergrad Students)
² 10.5 credits and greater is considered overload for Summer term (for Undergrad Students)
³ Graduate course credits are always in whole numbers

Undergraduate Divisions Full Time

Changes in Schedule

Day Division: Students may add and/or drop courses only during specified times announced by the Registrar. All seats are maintained on a space available basis. No waiting lists are kept.

Students must review proposed schedule changes with their academic advisors and have them approved by their advisor either electronically or by paper submission to the Office of Registration and Records. Failure to have a change approved will void any pending transactions. Change of Schedule forms are available at the Office of Registration and Records.

Adult and Continuing Education/Graduate Division: Students must submit schedule changes in person or by phone directly to the Office of Registration and Records. Students may add and/or drop courses only during specified times announced by the Registrar. All seats are maintained on a space available basis. No waiting lists are kept.

All Divisions: Students may not add courses after the fifth day of the semester, or drop courses after the ninth week of the semester. After the ninth week of the semester, students may withdraw from a course without grade penalty only under unusual circumstances and with the approval of the Registrar. Courses offered in times/formats other than the traditional sixteen-week semester may have other specified add/drop periods. Consult the Registrar’s web page for registration deadlines.

The responsibility to complete schedule changes in a timely and proper manner rests with each student. Students should consult the academic calendars printed on the Registrar’s Web page for the exact dates for schedule changes each semester.

Students failing to add a course properly will not receive course credit regardless of course attendance or course work completed. Students failing to drop a course properly will receive a grade of “F#” for the course in question.

Withdrawal from Individual Courses

Students may withdraw from courses during the first nine weeks of the semester without academic penalty. A grade of “W” will be assigned for each course withdrawn. Courses offered in times/formats other than the traditional 16-week semester may have other specified withdrawal periods. Consult the Registrar’s web page for withdrawal deadlines and procedures. www.bw.edu/resources/registration/info/calendar

Students wishing to withdraw from classes after the deadline must submit a written petition and documentation of extenuating circumstances to the Office of Registration & Records for review. If the petition is approved, a grade of “WP” or “WX” will be assigned to each course withdrawn. “WP” will be assigned indicating passing coursework at the time of withdrawal. “WX” will be assigned indicating failing coursework at the time of withdrawal. Withdrawal from a course without approval constitutes a failure, and a grade of “F” will be assigned to the course. Petition forms are available in the Office of Registration & Records.

Leave of Absence

For many reasons, a student may need to leave Baldwin Wallace temporarily for a specified period of time. Permission for a leave of absence may be granted for a maximum of two consecutive semesters and one summer semester. A student who wishes to leave temporarily must communicate his/her plans to leave and return to his/her faculty advisor. A Student Withdrawal/Leave of Absence form must be completed and returned to the Office of Registration and Records. The official date of withdrawal is the date that the completed form is submitted to the Office of Registration and Records.

Withdrawal from the University

Students who wish to completely withdraw from Baldwin Wallace and who do not plan to return must communicate their intention to leave the University to their faculty advisor. They must then complete a Student Withdrawal form and collect the signatures of the designated University offices for approval. The signatures and completed form is then submitted to the Office of Registration and Records. The official date of withdrawal is the date that the completed form is submitted to the Office of Registration and Records.

Student Records

All academic records are maintained in the Office of Registration and Records. Additional student personnel and advising records are maintained in the Office of Student Affairs, the Evening/Weekend Program, the Office of Academic Advising, by assigned faculty advisors and appropriate academic divisional offices. These records are made available, in a reasonable length of time, upon request for review by the student to whom they pertain. Baldwin Wallace University designates the following categories of student information as public or “Directory Information,” and this information may be disclosed by the institution for any purpose at its discretion.

Currently enrolled students may withhold disclosure of any category of information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. Forms requesting the withholding of “Directory Information” are available in the Office of Registration and Records. A new form must be filed every academic year. Baldwin Wallace assumes that unless a student specifically requests withholding of categories of “Directory Information,” individual approval for disclosure is granted.

Summer Semester

Undergraduate and graduate courses are offered during the summer. Undergraduate courses are offered in an eight-week summer session and are supplemented by immersion, hybrid and on-line courses that are offered throughout the summer. The undergraduate summer schedule is designed for both full and part-time students and all courses are open to day, evening, and weekend students. Students may enroll in courses taught on campus and/or at BW East.

Courses and workshops for graduate students are also scheduled throughout the summer. Students should check for specifics as offered by their area of graduate specialization.